Intro Into the Sparkler app!

Well this is exciting, Sparkler has come to Kenosha County!!

If you are wondering, what Sparkler is and how your family can benefit from it well, here’s your chance!

Sparkler is an completely free app (neither Help Me Grow Kenosha or Sparkler will ever charge you for any service that is provide to you) out of Connecticut that has partnered with many Help Me Grow affiliates around the country. Sparkler’s goal aligns with Help Me Grow’s goal of providing families with the resources they need to be happy and healthy as well as provide free developmental screenings to children to improve their developmental outcome. By providing families with developmental screens Families are able to identify their children’s needs and address them, rather than waiting or not knowing what is or is not developmentally appropriate.

Sparkler has 30 ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) developmental screens for ages 2 months to 60 months that families can access. When a family completes a screen one of two things will happen. Either they will receive their screen right away, which is indicative that everything is right on track. Or, they will be contacted by the Help Me Grow navigator through the Sparkler app outlining areas that are in need of monitoring or are of concern. When this occurs, the family will be provided with additional activities to work with their child on and at times recommend a referral for intervention, all based on their child’s ASQ results.

Families can not only rely on the Help Me Grow navigator for information on all things child development, but also for any community resources (housing, food, daycares, etc.) and local events/activities. Help Me Grow is your one-stop-shop for all your community resource needs!

With Sparkler Families have access to over 2000 play activities that they can choose from; there are even play activities for children over the age of 5, so families don’t have to worry if their child has aged out of the ASQ screens, they can still use the Sparkler app for activities and parenting tips. While families are playing, caregivers can snap a pic of their child to memorialize the activity within the app; families can then look back and see how far their child has come.

Speaking of parenting tips; Sparkler offers a plethora of parenting tips from schedules/routines, coping with negative behaviors, family traditions, helping your child find a sense of self and many, many more!

Sparkler is not only for families with kiddo’s, Sparkler has a pre-natal mode. Families who are just starting out can utilize the app to get tips on prepping for baby’s arrival, pre-natal care tips and Yoga/Pilates courses every trimester!

And, for those wondering neither Sparkler or Help Me Grow will share your information with anyone; all of your private information remains private. You as a caregiver have the option of sharing your child’s Sparkler information with other family members through invite within the app. You also have the option of sharing any ASQ score with your child’s providers (daycare, Doctor, physical/occupational/speech Therapist, etc.) that you wish. Every ASQ score will be provided to you through email. If you need a score sent to you again, you can just contact the Help Me Grow Navigator through the chat function in the app!

To get the Sparkler app scan the QR code at the top of the page and use Code: HMGK when you create your account.